Zebrafish Anatomical Dictionary
Structure description: semicircular canals of the ear
by Tanya Whitfield
Name: semicircular canals
Abbreviation: scc
Synonyms: None
Figures:
4 day ear
Staging series live whole-mounts
Description: There are three semicircular canals in each ear, anterior, lateral (or horizontal) and posterior, arranged roughly orthogonally to one another. Projections of epithelium forming the hubs of each canal push inwards from the sides of the otic vesicle, beginning at the high pec stage (45h at 28°C), and fuse in the center of the ear between the long pec (52h) and pec fin (64h) stages at 28°C (Waterman and Bell, 1984). The canal itself is the fluid-filled toroidal space surrounding each hub. Although the topology of the canals is now complete, further outgrowth is required for them to attain their characteristic curved, canal-like shape. Each canal is associated with a crest-like sensory patch or crista, but in the day 5 larva there is not yet evidence of a swelling (ampulla) housing each crista.
Homologues:
- Human: semicircular canals
- Mouse: semicircular canals
- Chicken: semicircular canals
- Frog: semicircular canals
- Fly: none
Stages:
- First appears at: high pec stage (45h) at 28°C
- Disappears (or changes name) at: Unknown
Parents (forms from): cranial placodal ectoderm (otic placode)
Children:
- Presumptive (thought to give rise to): Unknown
- Anlage (known to give rise to): semicircular canals of the ear
Group (member of):
- Anatomical (group member): ear
- Functional (group member): vestibular system
Markers:
- mRNA: None
- Antibodies: None
- Other: No currently published markers label the semicircular projections specifically. They can be seen in the live fish with DIC optics.
Publications:
- Primary: Waterman, R. E., and Bell, D. H. (1984). Epithelial fusion during early semicircular canal formation in the embryonic zebrafish, Brachydanio rerio. Anatomical Record 210, 101-114.
- Secondary: None
Comments: None